Forced-air circulation and refrigeration in refrigerator cars



May 15, 1928. 1,670,187

M. W. BROWNE FORCED AIR CIRCULATION AND REFRIGERATION IN REFRIGERATOR CARS Filed Oot. 1925' 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 4 @vwentom Myfom WBmm/we May 15, 1928. 1,67,187

M. BROWNE FORCED AIR CIRCULATION 'AND REFRIGERATION IN REFRIGERATOR CARS Filed Oct. 13, 1925 2 Shegts-Shget 2 ull l l I 1 l iii-33 i 5/ Patented May 15, 1928.

UNITED STATES 'rATE 1,610,187- r OFFICE.

MILTOE' W. BROWNE, OF KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI.

Application filed October 18, 1925. Serial No. 62,300.

The present invention relates to improve- -ments in forced air circulation and refrigeration in refrigerators, especially refrigerator cars, and more particularly to means for producing and maintaining air circulat on and refrigeration in refrigerators or refrigerator cars whereby fresh meats, fruits, vegetables and other perishable foods will be successfully preserved while under refrigeration or while being transported from the producer to the ultimate consumer.

The invention provides novel and n11- proved means for producing and maintalning forced air circulation in the refrigerator whereby excessive moisture and mpure alr are removed from the food products under refrigeration and the proper temperature is maintained uniformly, or substantially so, throughout all parts ofthe refrigeration chamber, the humidity being so controlled that the accumulation of excess moisture about the products undergoing refrigeration is avoided to the end that highly perishable foods may be stored for long periods or shipped successfully for great distances in reasonably prime condition while their flavor, weight and other naturalqualities will be preserved substantially without change or loss and they will be free from mold or decay.. A method and apparatus of this gen-' eral class are set forth in Letters Patent N 0.

1,515,546, granted to me on November 11,

1924, and the present invention provides means for advantageously applying such method and apparatus to refrigerator cars whereby no structural changes in the general construction of such cars is required, the apparatus being driven automatically by power derived from the movement of the car and adapted to the refrigerating of ice bunkers commonly used in the ends of refrigerating cars and which can be refilled or replenished daily or at regular intervals at icing stations in accordance with the practice heretofore followed with respect to ordinary refrigerator cars.

To these and other ends, the invention consists in certain improvements and combinations and arrangements of parts, all as will be hereinafter more fully described, the features of nov'elty being pointed out particularly in the claims at the end of the specification.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 represents a vertical section taken longitudinally through a refrigeratorcar, the same being shown equipped with forced air circulation and refrigeration apparatus in accordance with the present iiivention;

Figure 2- is a diagrammatic View, looking. toward one end of the car,-Sh0Wing the apparatus embodying the present invention applied thereto;

Figure 3 is a detail view on an enlarged scale and in section, illustrating drivlng means provided by the present invention for operating the apparatus by power' de-, rived from one of the car axles;

Figure 4 is an exterior elevation of the driving means shown in from the right thereof; 7

Figure 5 is a detail view of the main driving gear of the driving means, the same being adapted to be mounted on one of the car axles; I

Figure (Sis a side elevation of the fan for forcing the air circulation in the car and reversible means for driving it in a forward direction irrespective of the direction of travel of the car; i

Figure 7 is an end elevation ofthe fan and its driving means as viewed from the left in Figure 6; p

Figure 8 is a detail view of the fan on an enlarged scale showing the air inlet thereof; and

Figure 9 is a fragmentary cross-section taken vertically through the floor of. the car and the bottom of one of the bunkers, illustrating the mounting of the fan and the manner in which it takes in air from at or near the floor level.

Similar parts are designated by the same reference characters in the several views.

The present invention is applicable to refrigerators of various kinds, and particularly to refrigerator cars such as those now in use by refrigerator car lines and trans portation systems for the transportation of perishable food products under refrigeration, but it is especially applicable to the storing or shipping of fresh meats, fruits and vegetables of various kinds which require the presence of the proper volume of cold air, the proper relative humidity and the correct, even, unvarying temperature in all parts of the refrigerating chamber for their preservation while under refrigeration and in transit.

Heretofore gravity alone has been fully depended upon for the movement of air with- Figure 3, as viewed in a refrigerator car, and ithas been found that in depending wholly upon such air c1rculation, excessive moisture and dampness accumulate within the car, and upon the products, especially upon fresh meats, fresh fruits and vegetables- Owing to the h ghly perishable nature of such products, this accumulation of excessive moisture and dampness thereon results in their early deterioration, and, moreover, it causes suclrproducts to become moldy while in transit under rcfrigeration owing to the fact that such products are not supplied with the necessary amount of air. l urthermore, the temperature in the upper levels of the ordinary refrigerator car varies greatly from the temperature at or near the floor level, especially near the bunker ends of the car, there being relatively warm air in the center andupper portions of the car, while the temperature at or near the floor levels and the bunkers will frequently be much below-the correct temperature which insures the successful shipping and transportation of these roducts. In consequence, it has been possi le to ship perishable food products such as fresh meats, fruits and vegetables for only a relatively short distance in refrigerator cars as heretofore used and which depended wholly upon gravity for air circulation therein, if the products are to arrive at their destina tion in the proper and marketable condition. Through the use of such equipment without air circulation and efficient refrigeration, considerable losses have occurred not only in the weights, flavor and other natural qualities of these products, but also through rot and decay which are the natural results of insufficient air circulation and refrigeration within refrigerator cars as heretofore used.

According to the present invention, the required volume of forced air circulation is produced and maintained within a refrigerator whereby the necessary aeration for the successful carrying of meats, fruits, vegetables and other perishable food products under refrigeration or in transit, is supplied, and, at the same time, the accumulation of excessive moisture or' dampness on the products is prevented, the proper humidity for the preservation of the food products is maintained, and a substantially even or uniform temperature is insured within the refrigerator or within the car throughout its journey, irrespective of the distance or the length of time the shipment is in transit. The results are that the perishable food products are subjected uniformly to the most advantageous temperature and air conditions, and, in consequence, they will withstand storage or arrive at their destination in a reasonably fresh prime condition.

Referring to the accompanying drawings which illustrate the invention as applied to -substantially like bunker 4; so

refrigerator cars, 1 designates generally a standard refrigerator car which may be built those heretofore used generally by transportation systems. In applying the present invention to such a car, it is preferable to secure to the floor 2 thereof a series of strips 3 which project upwardly from the floor and extend lengthwise or longitudinally of the car, the spaces 4 between these strips constituting channels or passageways through which air may flow and thus pass beneath and reach the under side of the food products which rest on the upper edges of the upstanding strips 3, thus enabling the air to circulate freely under and around the products. 4 and 5 represent the bunkers or refrigerant compartments in the ends of the car having openings covered by wire meshes 4 and 5 which provide means for air communication between the upper and lower portions of the bunkers and the interior of the car, and these bunkers contain means for producing the required refrigeration. In the present instance the bunkers are adapted to be supplied with charges of ice 6 and 7 to which salt may be added, and suitable drain pipes 8 and 9 may be provided for resulting from the melting of the ice. The bottoms 10 and 11 of the bunkers are spaced above the floor of the car, and the bottoms of the bunkers may be in the form of a rack or grid to permit passage of air therethrough. The bunkers may be charged with ice daily or regularly at icing stations as' in the manner usual with ordinary refrigerator cars.

A fan or air-inducing means 12, which may comprise surrounding housing 14, is provided, it being mounted, for example, below the bottom 10 of the bunker 4 and it has an air inlet 15, which is located at or slightly above the floor level of the car, so that it will, during its operation, draw into the casing 14 air from at and near the floor level of the car. The outlet 16 of the fan housing is connected to an air conduit 17 which extends upwardly between the bunker heads of the that it will be surrounded by the refrigerating influence of the ice in this bunker, distributing pipe 18 which extends longitudinally of the car immediately below the ceiling 19 thereof, this air distributing pipe having series of holes or orifices 20 in its opposite sides through which refrigerated air is discharged and distributed substantially uniformly from the opposite sides of the distributing pipe and at or near the ceiling of the car. pipe 18 is tapered to a degree that will compensate for the presence of the discharge openings or orifices 20 therein so that the air will be discharged at substantially unia multi-vane fan 13 within a and this upright conduit joins an air.

Preferably, the distributingdischarging the waste water acting to discharge air from the distributim pipe downwardly through the ice contained in this bunker.

The fan 12,is driven while the car is in transit, by power taken from one of the axles of the car. Preferably, and as shown, the shaft 22 of the fan 13 is driven by reversible gearing which is capable of being set according to the direction of travel of the car, so that the fan will be driven in the proper direction to conform with the direction of travel of the car. The reversible driving gearing shown in the present instance comprises a bevel gear 23 which is fixed on the fan shaft and is arranged to be engaged by one or the other of a pair of bevel gears 24 and 25,. these bevel geals being splincd on a shaft 26 which is journaled in bearings 27 and 28 provided by a suitable bracket 29, and the bevel gears 24 and 25 being shiftable axially on the shaft 26 although connected to be driven thereby. The gears 24 and 25 are controlled in their operation with respect to the gear 23 by a yoke 29 which is shiftable by a lever 30 which is pivoted at 31 to an extension 32 forming partof the bracket 29, this lever having a handle 33 which projects to the exterior of the car. The construction is such that when the lever 30 is swung into one position, as, for example, that shown in Figure 5, the gear 25 will mesh with the gear 23 while the gear 24 will be out of engagement therewith, and, in consequence, the fan shaft 22 will be driven in a forward direction from the shaft 46 for a given direction of travel of the car. lVhen the direction of travel of the car is to be reversed, the lever 30 is shifted into a reverse position, this operation carrying the gear 25 out of mesh with the gear 23 and bringing the gear 24 into mesh with the gear 23. With the driving gear adjusted in this way, travel of the car in a reverse direction will drive the fan shaft 22 in a forward direction, as before, as the driving of the gear 23 by the gear 24 instead of by the gear 25 compensates for the reverse direction of rotation of the shaft 26.

The shaft 26 which drives the fan or aininducing means receives its motion from one of the axles of the car, and the present invention provides novel and improved means for accomplishing this result. According to the present invention, a main driving gear 34 is fixed on one of the car axles 35. As the car axles are usually fixed at its ends in the car wheels, the gear 34 is preferably made in halves or segments which are split diametrically so that they can be applied individually at opposite sides of the axle and they are united on'the axle by suitable means, such as by forming T-shaped ribs 36 on one gear section to engage in correspondmglyshaped slots 37 formed in the meeting faces of the other gear section. A key 38 may also be applied between the axle and gear to fix the gear securely and non-rotatably on the axle. The periphery of the gear 34 1s preferably formed with worm wheel teeth 39 which mesh constantly with a worm 40 formed on 01' fixed to a shaft 41, this shaft being operatively connected to the shaft 26. Prefer- ,ably, a flexible shaft 42 is employed to connect the shafts 41 and 26 as such a shaft will maintain driving relationship between the shafts 41 and 26. notwithstanding-the vertical and other relative movements which take place between the axle and the car body. The gears 34 and 40 are preferably mounted in a. housing 43 which may be split or formed in sections, as shown, to enable it to be applied to the axle and the gears, this housing serving-to enclose and protect the gears from dust and moisture and providing a receptacle for a bath of a lubricant in which the worm and worm whee may operate. The shaft 41 is journaled at its ends in suitablebearings 44 and 45 formed asa part of the housing 43.

The driving torque of the gear 34 tends to rotate the housing 43 around the car axle as a center and, hence, means must be provided for holding the housing 43 from rotation, so that the gear 40 will be driven from the gear 34. The present invention provides means which sustains the torque applied to the housing 43 and which compensates for vertical or other relative movements which take place between the axle and the car body. The means provided for this purpose also affords sufiicient yield in the drive of the fan to relieve the driving means of the effects of shocks produced by sudden displacements or changes in speed of the axle. Such means, in the present instance, comprises a pair of flexible members which are attached to the opposite sides of the housing 43, as at 46 and 47, and are attached at their upper ends to the car body, as at 48 and 49. Each of these members is flexible and longitudinally elastic, each member preferably comprising a link 50 whch is attached at its upper end to the car body, a chain 51 which is attached at its lower-end to the housing 43 and an interposed coil spring 52 which connects and exerts tension on the link 50 and chain 51. These members are suitably tensioned by the springs 52 to normally hold the housing 43 in such a. position that the worm shaft 41 will be upright or vertical, or substantially so, and each spring 52 will sustain the torque or turning efl'ort applied to the housing 43. Vertical lateral or other relative displacements of the axle with respect to the car body will be compensated for by yield of these springs, from shock due ping ofthe car its speed by the consequ take place in one or springs.

The mo 17, and du further coo tained in the bun from the conduit 17 is th distributing pipe 1 plurality thereof an the remainder of th ing pipe is discharge the ice contained in flowing along fan produces a cir around the food strips 3, cess mois supplying them w erated air discharge car by the discharge pip scends by gravity transit, taking up air is again circu the conduit 17 and re- 8. As the refrigera pipe 1 e 18 through from the pip the car between the ice tenance of an even te throughout the length The'air which i 21 onto the ice 7 moval of excess moisture, from the car, as they will be absorbed by the meltin charged from 9 through w According caused to circulate under products in storage or in de of operation is su follows: The bunkers are supp in the usual way, salt is generally a ice, and thus produc refrigeration, th salted'each day understood that t the fan in a forwar the direction in whic The melting of the ice in about a temperature of 32 proximates the 'melti resulting refrigerate flows downwardly of to or near the the fan 12 is in operat motion, it draws 1nto 1 at or near the fioor level air, which is relativelyco tained in the upper or cen car, is forced upwardly th ring its passage led or refrigerated b ker 4. The re an icing station, d to rapidly melt the wil e the required amount of sonably prime condition, with only a-normal 1g re-iced and reamount ofshrinkage. a while on route. It will be The odors and gases removed from the he handle, 33 is set to drive products by the air circulation are, in turn,

d direction according to removed from the circulating air by the h the car is to travel. blowing of this air over the melting ice the bunkers brings whereon itis absorbed by the melted ice F., which ap- Water, and are discharged from the refrigf ice, and the erator or car with the melted ice water avaste. d air in the bunker 5 The circulating air within the refrigerator rough the bottom there, or car is thereby clarified and'maintamed in 4 floor level of the car. As such condition without requiring the admision while the car is in sion of any outside air thereto. The temts inlet 15 air from perature within the refrigerator or car,there of the car, and this fore, will not be aifected materially by oler than that conchanges in temperature exteriorly thereof. tral portion of the I claim as my invention: rough the conduit 1. Means for producing forced air circutherethrough it lation and refrigeration in refrigerator cars the ice conhaving therein a food storage compartment rigerated air and a refrigerant compartment, the lower en forced-into the portions of which communicate, one with the ged in a other, comprising a fan operative to remove jets at opposite sides air from at or near the floor level and force (1 near the ceiling of the car while such air to the upper portion of the car, and 9 e air from the distributmeans connected to receive such air and d downwardly through operative to discharge such. air into the upthe bunker 5. The air per portions of the food storage and refrigv the car toward the erant compartments. culation of air under and 2. Means for producing forced air 'circu- 1 6 products resting on the lation and refrigeration in refrigerator cars thus avoiding accumulation of ex having ice bunkers therein comprising a fan ture on or around the products but operative to take in air from at or near the ith fresh air. The refrigfloor level of the car, a distributing pipe con- 8 and is dischar the floor of the car thro to the present invention,

and aroun and the fan will be protected venting the accumulation of excess moisture L to sudden starting or stopwhich would cause mold and decay and proaxle or sudden changes in ducing a constant'supply of fresh air for ent yield which will the products to effect aeration thereof. By the other of these passing the air rapidly over the surface of 7 the ice, suflicient moisture is picked up to and they may be stored for long periods or they reach their destination in fresh and rea- 75 d near the ceiling of the nected to receive such air and having ori- 1 e 18, being heavy, defices for the discharge thereof into the space he food products in in the carnear the ceiling thereof and also heat therefrom, and this operative to discharge air therefrom into one lated by the fan through of the ice bunkers and into contact with icedischarged from the therein.

ted air is discharged 3. The combination with a refrigerator out the length of car having ice bunkers in the ends thereof bunkers, the inainand a storage space between the bunkers, of

e of the air a suction fan located at or near the floor of the car is insured. level of the car to take in air therefrom, a aged from the elbow distributing pipe located in the upper por- 7 in the bunker 5 eifects retion of the storage space and having a series odors and gases of longitudinally spaced discharge orifices condensed on or in its opposite sides, said pipe also dischargand will be dising into the top of one of the ice bunkers 1 ugh the drain pipe and a conduit extending through one of the ich the waste water discharges. ice bunkers and connecting the distributing air is pipe to the outlet of the fan.

d the 4. The combination with a refrigerator transit, thus precar having ice bunkersin the ends thereof 1 and a storage space between them, of a fan having an inlet located near the floor level for drawing air therefrom, a conduit lead ing upwardly through one of the ice bunkers from the outlet of the fan, and a distributing pipe located in the upper portion of the storage space near the ceiling thereof and having orifices spaced longitudinally thereof for discharging air laterally near the ceiling, said discharge pipe also having means for discharging air therefrom into contact with ice in the other of said ice bunkers.

5. Means for producing forced air circulation and refrigeration in a refrigerator having a food storage compartment and a refrigerant compartment, the refrigerant compartment being in communlcatlon with the food storage compartment, comprising a fan operative to remove air from at or near the bottom of the food storage compartment, and. a pipe connected to receivesuch air from the fan andoperative to conduct such air to and discharge it into the .upper portion of the refrigerant compartment.

6. Means for producing forced air circulation and refrigeration in a refrigerator having a food storage compartment and a refrigerant compartment, one compartment being in communication with the other, comprising a fanoperative to remove air from at or near the bottom of the food storage compartment, and a pipe connected to receive the air thus removed by the fan and extending to and having outlets in the upper portions of the food storage and refrigerant compartments for the discharge of said air.

7. Means for producing forced air circulation and refrigeration in a refrigerator having a food storage compartment and an ice compartment, one compartment being in communication with the other, comprising afan operative to remove air from at or near the bottom of the food storage compartment, and a pipe connected to receive the air thus removed by the fan and extend ing into the ice compartment and having an air discharge outlet therein located in the upper portion of the ice compartment to direct air into contact with the icetherein.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set m hand.

y MILTON W. BROWNE. 

